Gear-changing mechanism for automobiles.



F. BEEMER. Y GEAR CHANGING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

' APBLIOATION FILED NOV. 11, 1908.

930,029.. I Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET -1.

P. BEEMER.

GEAR CHANGING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.11, 1908.

930,029. Patentd Au 3, 1909. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

n 1 i l IIIII' lII I GI 54 IllIII/IIIJI 6 lNVEA/TOR flank BecmerWITNESSES:

{Maia APPLICATION FILED NOV.11,1908.

Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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A TTORNE Y.

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pnrrnn stares PATENT ormron.

FRANK BEEMER, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNsYLvANmAssIGNoR ro SAMUEL s. EVELAND,

OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ona'n-onanome rvreonamsia son aurotro'zarms.

Specification of llietters Patent.

Patented Aug. 3, mos.

Application filed November 11, .1908. Serial No. 462,015.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I,.FRANK.BEEMER,-a citi- Zen of the United States,residing 'at the city of Philadelphia, 'in the county of Philadelphiaand State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulGear-Changing Mechanism for Automobiles, of whioh the following is aspecification.

@bjects of the present invention are to provide for shifting or changingthe-gearsof an automobile in such a way that the only thing requiredofthe operator is the manipulation of the clutch and of puslrbuttons orsimple handles which may be conveniently grouped at the steering headorwheel and in such a way that it is impossible'forthe operator to do anyharm even though he push the buttons in a way or order not "intended'ordesired to provide where electrical mechanism is employed for theprevention of arcing or sparking at the push buttons by limiting thecurrent to be broken at such points; to provide efficient mechanicalmeans for returnin the ears to neutral osition and in brief, to providea simple 'efiicient and 'reliable control for the change gears of anautomobile which-can be conveniently operated from the steering head orwheel even by an unskilled operator quickly and in an advantageousmanner.

The invention will be claimed at the 'end hereof and a description of itwill first be given in connection with the embodiment of it chosen forillustration in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1, is a sideview illustrating parts of an automobile and showing mechanism embodyingfeatures of the invention in application thereto. Fig. 2, is a top 'orplan view of the same. Fig. 3, is a sectionalview taken on the line 3-3,1, and lookin from right to left. Fig. 4, is an elevationa view, partlyin section, drawn to an enlarged scale and illustrating mechanismembodying features of the invention. Fig. 5, is -a top or plan view withsome of the upper parts removed of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4. Fig.6, is a sectional view on the line 6 6, of Fig. 7, is a to or plan view,partly in section, of the mec hanism shown in the leftha'nd end of Fig.4, and Fig. 8, a diagrammatic view of circuit connections that maybeemployed in connection with the vention.

shifters or rods that serve,

is illustrated in connection with well known parts of an automobile butthe invention-is not confined for this reason to such specific partsorin fact to any particular construction of automobile.

In the drawings 1, indicates the well known gear case within which arechange gears that are shifted to change the speed and direction ofmotion. 2 and 3, are gear when moved, to change these gears and thusvary the s cod and direction of motion. 4, is the clutc by means ofwhich the driving shaft 5, is connected and disconnected to and from theengine. 6, is the fly wheel; 7, the steering head; 8, the emergencybrake; and 9, the clutch lever. These parts are well understood and theyare present in one form or another in all automobiles of what may becalled the gasolene type, so that I do not claim them "herein nor do Ilimit myself to any specific type of them and I refer to them so that myinvention will be understood.

To some convenient portion of the frame of the machine and in someconvenient location are arranged twopairs of magnets 10 and 11,-and 12and-13. As shown these are arranged ina'housing 14, secured to the frame15, but this arrangement is illustrative.

For each pair of magnets there is a core bar 16 and 17. The core barsmove endwise and they are connected with the gear shifters.

In'the present instance the gear shifter 3, is connected by a link 18,to the core bar 16, or to a block connected thereto or carried therebyand arranged to slide in ways 19, in the housing 14. The shifter bar 2,:is connected bya link 20, to one arm 21, of a rock'- shaft 22, theother arm 23, of which is connected with a block .19, working in ways inthe housing 14, and carried by'or connected with the core rod 17 Thisparticular ar-' rangement of rockshaft is used rather than a directconnection merely to accommodate the arrangement to the type ofautomobile chosen for illustration. Thereis a cam yoke 24, movabletransversely of the direction of motion of the core rods. This yoke 24,is shown as guided by rods 25, of which four are shown the drawings, andthese rods are connected with the housing 14. The cam face '26, oitheyoke 24, is shown of the form of a triangle with one of its anglescentrally disposed and this angle is shown as provided with a rollerseat. I

There are rollers 27, comiected with the core rods and these rollerscooperate with the cam faces 26, of which there are two, one for eachroller. As shown the studs that connect the blocks 19 and 19, with theparts 18 and 23, move in slots in the housing 14. When the cam block 24is lifted,

the cams 26, acting on the rollers 27, shift I lever 8, and that isconnected with the clutch the core rods into their intermediatepositions and these positions correspond to the positions of the slifters 2 and 3, which bring the gears into neutral position which iswell understood. hen the yoke 24, is in its low osition the core rods 16and 17, may be free y shifted endwise and when so shifted they move theshifters 2 and 3, and thus accomplish speed changes and reverse, as iswell understood. The electro-magnets serve, when one or the other ofthem is energized, to shift the core rods, but it is desirable that onlyone of these bars or rods should be free to be shifted at the same time.Otherwise damage might be done the gears as is well understood.Projecting from the housing 14, are shells 28 and 29, in which the endsof the core bars 17 and 16, work.

*VVithin a casing 30, are arranged a pair of bolts having a spring interosed between them, and the combined lengt of these bolts is such thatwhen they are in contact at their inner ends, one of their outer endsrests upon the surface of one of the core rods 16 and 17, and the otherof their outer ends occupies a notch in the other core rod. The notches31, in the core rods are engaged by both bolts in the casing 30, whenthe core bars or rods are in neutral position, that is, in positioncorresponding to the neutral osition of the gears. As soon as one of thears or rods is moved, it forces the bolt out of its notch and thiscauses the bolt so forced to bear u on the surface of this rod and uponthe en of the other bolt which is thus held in the notch of the otherbar and prevents the latter from moving.

32, are spring detents which cooperate in notches of the bars 16 and 17and thus, when the latter are in their extremeposi tions, hold themagainst accidental movement. There is a spring 33, which tends to bringthe cam yoke or block 24, into its depressed position. A

34, is a trigger arm carrying at its end a trigger 35 shown as pivotedto it like a knife blade so as to be capable of turning up independentlyof the arm but not down.

36, is a spring that operates on the trigger. When the arm 34, is turnedclockwise in the drawings the yoke or cam block 24, is lifted becausethe trigger 35, engages it, as shown m the drawings the central part ofit. As the lifting motion continues, the trig er 35,

asses clear of the block which then alls or is brought down by itsspring 33. Counterclockwise movement of the arm 34, causes of breaking55, only when the lever the trigger to turn upward, pass by the blockand then resume its original position un- 24, der the block. The shaftthat carries the arm-34, is connected with the clutch 4, or the movablemember thereof, and with the emergency brake 8. As shown this shaft isprovided with an'arm 37, that is connected y means of a slotted link 38,with the brake lever 9, by'a link 39. The clutch lever 9, is connectedwith the clutch by means of a link 40. The slotted link 38, permits thearm 39, to be turned by the clutch lever 9, even when the brake lever 8,is at rest, and when the brake lever 8, is shifted, it shifts the arm39, and the clutch.

The various electro-mag'nets are magnetized and de-magnetized by meansof push buttons 41, 42, 43, 44, which are arranged on the steering headat or near the rim of the wheel although of course the invention is notlimited to the/particular location of the push buttons, still as thehands of the operator are on the wheel it is distinctly advantageous tohave the push buttons near his hands. To break the current at the ushbuttons might give rise to sparking an arcing. To avoid this use is madeof relays or circuit breaker coils 45, 46, 47 and 48, which are fittedwith circuit breaking plates or circuit breakers 49, 50, 51 and 52.Generally s eaking the coils of the circuit breakers an their pushbuttons constitute paths of high resistance and are in parallel relationwith the coils of the electro-magnets and the circuit breaking plates49, which constitute paths of lowresistance, so that the current to bebroken at the' push buttons is considerably smaller than the current tobe broken at the circuit breaker plates. The latter are constructed andlocated in such manner as to be capable these relatively high currents.

53, is a source of power or current. It is shown to consist of a dynamomachine suitably located and attached to the automobile or vehicle anddriven from the engine thereof. As shown it is driven by a *shaft 54,geared to the fly wheel 6, which is connected with the engine. However,the source of power 53, may be variously constructed and arrang d cuit55, of the dynamo 53. At the contacts 56, the clutch lever 9, closesthis field circuit is in such that the clutch is out. When the c utch isin, contact is broken at 56. To one pole of the dynamo, say. thenegative pole, although fghe sign is not material, there is connected ofthe magnets 10, 11, 12 and 13. To

a conductor 57, one end of each of the .co ls 'this negative pole thereare also connected osition the contacts of each of the pushbuttons. Inthe diagram of Fig. 8, this is accomplished by a: conductor 58, havingbranches 59, 60, 61 and 62, which are connected to one end of the coils45, 46, 47 and 48. The

I other ends of these coils are connected to the positive side of thesource by means of a conductor 63, having branches 64, 65, 66 and 627.The ends of these branches also connect or-are in connection with one ofthe circuit breaking plates of each of the coils. The other circuitbreaking plates are connected by conductors 68, 69-, 70 and 71 to theother ends of the coils of the magnets 10,11,112 and13.

Assuming that the parts are in thepositions shown 1112 Fig. 4, and thatthe clutch is out and the engine and dynamo running, a description willbe given of the manner in which gears are shifted. Assuming that thechange of gears desired corresponds to the change efiected by the pushbutton 41, the latter is pushed. Thus the circuit by way of 58,597, coil45, conductor 64,,and 63,.isclosed. At the same time the contact plateat49, goes up and the circuit from 64, through contact 49, conductor 68,coil of magnet 10, and

conductor 57, is closed. The magnet 10, is

\ tons therefore energized andthe core bar 17 is drawn toward the leftin Fig. 4, thus accomplishing two results. ecks the core bar 16, by thebolts at 30, 7 and in the second place, it operates the arts 23-, 22,21, and shifter-20f 1f it shou d' be desired to shift the shifter 20.,in the other direction, the push button 44, is closed establishing acircuit by 58,. 62, coil 4s, 61 to 63-.

by? 1., through 11, to 5 7.. This energizesthe magnet 11, which pullsthe core'bar 17, and the partsconnccted with-it, including the shifter20,- in the other directiom I-tis not the intention that two. buttons bepushed at once, but no injury happens if this is done. For example, ifthe buttons '41 and 44, be pushed at the same time, the magnets 10 and11, simply oppose each other, and if the but- 42 and 43, be pushedsingly or together nothing happens because the core bar 16,

. is locked by the bolt at 36.

bolts at 30.

If the desired changein gear. shifters is to effected by the shifter 18,then the circuits would be made by the push buttons 42 or 43. When thepush button 42', is closed, the circuit is from 58,by 60, through thecoil 46', and by 65 to 63. ,;.-'1 l 1e circuit 18 also from-63,

through the contact 50, by 69, .through the. coil 12, to 57. This movesthe core bar 16,,

toward the" leftand the core bar moves-the gear shifter 18, toward theleft. When this is being done the core bar 17,'is locked by the When thepush button 43, is closed, the circuit is from58, by 61, through coil47, by 66, to 63, and'from 66, through the yoke 24, when In the firstplace it- At the same time a circuit is closed from 67, through thecontacts at'52,

contact 51, conductor 70,.coil 13, and conductor 57. This magnetizes thecoil 13, and draws the core bar 16, and Wfilll it the shifter 18, towardthe right. It will be understood that before each gear shift the gearsare brought to neutral position and the clutch thrown out and held outwhile the gears are shifted so that the o eration is to first throw theclutch out. T is establishes the field circuit 55, at 56', and alsolifts the cam yoke 24, and'then drops it or permits it to come downunder the influence'of its spring 33, under the trigger arm 34. Theeffect of this motion of the cam yoke is to bring the core bars intotheposition shown in Fig. 5,-whic'h corresponds with neutral position ofthe speed gears and to leave the core bars free to be operated in themanner described by the electro magnets while the clutch is still out,and if the clutch is not kept out the field circuit will not be made'andthe gears cannot be gears have been shifted, the clutch can be thrownin, thus breaking shifted. After the the circuit and gears until the cIt is the trigger 35,

preventing the shifting of that yields and gets under the clutch isthrown in, so

utch is again thrown out.-

that thetrigger is in position for the next operation.

What I claim is:' 1. Speed gear change mechanism for automobilescomprising the combination of speed gear shifters, electro-ma-gneticdevices for operating the shifters, a source of current, push buttons,electro-magnetic circuit closers, and circuits including a'pusli buttonand a coil of a 'circuit closer in branches of relatively highresistance and a coil of an electro' magnet and the contacts of acircuit closer in branches ofrelatively low resistance, substantially asdescribed.

2. Speed gear'change mechanism for automobiles comprising speed gearshifters, circuits including a source of current and hav ing; aths ofrelatively large and relatively sma currents, electro-magnetic devicesincluded in thepaths of large current and ada ted to operate theshifters, push buttons in t e paths of relatively small currents, and

relay devices controlled by the push buttons and o crating to make: andbreak circuit throng the .electro-magnetic devices,substantiallyasdescribed.

Speed gear change mechanism for automobiles comprising speed gearshifters, electro-mechanical devices including. a dynamo machine andcircuits, and clutch mechanism provided with means for making and break-1n the field circuits of the dynamo machine, substantially as described.

- 4. Speed gear'change mechanism for autom0biles comprising speed gearshifters, electro-magnetic devicesincluding circuits and push buttonsfor operating the shifters, a dy namo electric "machine, clutchactuating mechanism, and a field circuit for'the dynamo machine which isopened and closed by the clutch mechanism, substantially as described.

, 5. In s eed gear change mechanismfor automobi es the combination of anelectromagnet coil, a speed gear shifting core bar adapted tobe moved bysaid electro-magnet coil, a cam yoke provided with a cam adaptedtoposition said bar, clutch mechanism, and an arm connected with theclutch mechanism and adapted to shift said yoke, substantially asdescribed.

6.111 s eed gear change mechanism for automob' es the combination of anelectromagnet coil a' speed gear shifting core bar adapted to be'movedby said electro-magnet coil, a cam yoke afforded motion transversely ofthe direction of motion of the bar and rovided with a cam face forshifting the ar, clutch mechanism, and an arm connected 7' with theclutch mechanism and provided with a trigger adapted to shift the yokein onedirection and pass it in the other direction, substantially asdescribed.

7.. In s eed gear change mechanism for automob' es the. combination ofopposed electro-magnetic coils arranged in pairs, two

- notched speed gear shifting core bars of which one appertains to eachair of coils,

a pair of relatively movable bo ts the combined length of whichjs equalto the distance between the bottom of a notch in one bar and the surfaceof the other bar whereby either but not both bars can be shifted at onetime, a movable element provided with cams for positioning both bars,and clutch mechanism provided with means for shifting said element,substantially as described.

8. Speed gear change mechanism for automobiles comprising a steeringhead, speed gear shifters, electro-mechanical devices for operating theshifters and circuits including a source of current and push buttonsarranged on the steering head for controlling lever, push buttons,

. signed my name.

the electromechanical devices, substantially as described.

9. Speed gear change mechanism for automobilescomprising gear shiftingcore bars, clutch mechanism, mechanism interposed between said mechanismand core bars for putting the latter in neutral position when theclutch. is out, and circuit connections including a source of power andpush buttons and coils for shiftin said bars into other positions,substantial y as described.

10. Speed gear change mechanism -for automobiles comprising speed gearshifters,

clutch mechanism, connections between said mechanism and the shiftersfor putting the latter in neutral position when the clutch is thrownout, power devices for putting the shifters in other positions, andmanually operated means for controlling the power devices, substantiallyas described.

11. Speed gear change mechanism for automobiles comprising clutchmechanism 7 including an emergency brake and a clutch tions between theclutch mechanism and shifters whereby they are brought to neutralposition when the clutch is out, and connec tions whereby they areinoved, substantially as described.

12. Speed gear change mechanism for automobiles comprising gearshifters, means for operating the gear shifters including push buttons,and clutch mechanism provided with means for making the push buttonsinoperative when the c utch 1s in and for positioning the shifters inneutral position as the clutch is thrown out, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto FRANK BEEMER.

Witnesses:

FRANK E. FRENCH, K. M. GILLIGAN.

between the push buttons and shifters 4

